welding questionnaire summary results

Institute of Materials Malaysia

Welding Questionnaire Survey Results

16 Questionnaires sent – 11 returned

Analysed and compiled by Shon Laird (Oilfield Technical Inspection)

With assistance from Leo Paul (IMM)

WELDING QUESTIONNAIRE Institute of Materials, Malaysia

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Question 2 - Materials Welded

(1) Carbon steel

(2) Carbon, low alloy steel

(3) Stainless steels

(4) Feritic

(5) Austenitic

(6) Duplex

(7) Aluminium alloys

(8) Other metallic alloys

(9) Carbon, chrome-molybdenum steels forhigh temperature applications

(10) Carbon, nickel steels for sub-zerotemperature applications

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Question 3 - Cutting Processes Used

(1) Oxy-gas flame cutting

(2) Plasma arc cutting

(3) Laser cutting

(4) Other cutting processes (cold cutting)

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Question 4 - Welding Processes Utilised

(1) SMAW/MMA

(2) GMAW/MIG/MAG

(3) FCAW

(4) GTAW/TIG

(5) SAW

(6) Other welding processes

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Question 5 - Material Forms Utilised

(1) Plates

(2) I - Sections

(3) Channels

(4) Angle sections

(5) Pressure pipes

(6) Structural pipes

(7) Tubes

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Question 6 - Thickness Range

(1) 1 – 10mm

(2) 11 – 15mm

(3) 16 – 25mm

(4) +25mm

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Question 7 - Types of Joint Welded

(1) Butt joint

(2) T joints

(3) Node joints

(4) Corner joints

(5) Lap joints

(6) Other types of joint

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Question 8 - Type of Welds

(1) Groove welds

(2) Fillet welds

(3) Plug welds

(4) Slot welds

(5) Spot welds

(6) Other types of weld

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Question 9 - Welding Positions(1) 1F Fillet in flat position

(2) 2F Fillet in horizontal position

(3) 3F Fillet in vertical position

(4) 4F Fillet in overhead position

(5) 1G Plate in flat position

(6) 2G Plate in horizontal position

(7) 3G Plate in vertical position

(8) 4G Plate in overhead position

(9) 2G Pipe (fixed) in horizontal welding position

(10) 5G Pipe (fixed) in vertical welding position

(11) 6G Pipe (fixed) inclined welding position at 45degrees

(12) 1G Pipe (rolled) in flat welding position

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Question 10 - Welding Personnel (how do you recruit)

(1) Inspection of welder certificatessubmitted by welders from weldingtraining institutions

(2) Recommendations and testimonialsfrom previous employers

(3) Examination and review of welderqualification test report and result fromprevious employer and projects

(4) From schools and colleges

(5) Testing of welders by employer beforestart of welding works.

(6) Other methods

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Question 11 - Welding Co-ordination Personnel – how many of each do you employ?

(1) Welding inspectors

(2) Welding supervisors

(3) Welding engineers

(4) NDT personnel

(5) Others

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Question 12 - Does your organization monitor the competent performance of the welder in production welding?

(1) by visual inspection for weldingdefects

(2) by magnetic particle testing forwelding defects

(3) by ultra-sonic inspection forwelding defects

(4) by X-ray inspection for weldingdefects

(5) Do you keep a record of weldercompetency in production welding?

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WELDING QUESTIONNAIRE Institute of Materials, Malaysia 0%

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Question 13 - Design Rules, Codes and Standards

(1) ASME Code section viii – Transport Tanks

(2) ASME Code Sectionxii-Rules for construction of pressure vessels

(3) Pressure Equipment Directive (PED/EN 13445- unfiredpressure vessels)

(4) PD 5500-Specs for Unfired Fusion welded pressure vessel

(5) API 1104-Standard for welding pipelines and related facilities

(6) AWS D1.1-Structural welding code-steel

(7) AWS D1.2-Structural welding code-aluminium

(8) AWS D1.5-Bridge welding code-steel

(9) AWS D1.6-Structural welding code-stainless steel

(10) ASME Code section ix-Welding and brazing qualifications

(11) ASME Code B 31.1 Power piping

(12) EN287 – 1 Welder qualification (steel)

(13) ISO 9606-1 Welder qualification(steel)

(14) DNV OS F101 SUBMARINE PIPELINE SYSTEMS

(15) COMPANY STANDARD

(16) EN15614 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16


Comments and Observations (summary of responses received)

Welder Training Schools/codes and standards Welder training schools and institutes have to upgrade the practical workshop and classroom training curriculum. Welders are to be taught the passing/failing criteria of codes and standards – welding defects and how to avoid making these defects during welder training in practical welding skills training institutes

Database of Competent WeldersThere is urgent need for skilled and competent welders and a database of such welders, their skills and experience will facilitate the execution of projects.

Welding procedure specifications (WPS)Welders must be familiar with the WPS document and able to read and interpret it before they enter the job market. Welder training institutes should teach trainees the importance of following strictly to the instructions in the WPS in production welding

Welder testingAfter training, the welder testing must be conducted according to the procedures specified in the product or application codes and standards like ASME Sec ix, xii, PD/EN 13445, AWS D1.1 etc. Such testing and qualification is needed in the welding fabrication industry.

Welder Training & Qualification

IMM - Petronas Can play a bigger role in setting requirements . For example: PTS as well as governing and regulating welding career – this also will create barrier to entry for outsiders and push local standards higher up.

Welding processThere is a fast growing need for welders with skills in semi-automatic welding processes like GMAW and FCAW compared the traditional manual methods like SMAW and GTAW welding processes. There is also a need for welding operators for automatic welding as required for the manufacture of steel pipes by electric resistance welding (ERW). Welder training institutes are to make provisions (trainers, equipment, syllabus, wps) to up-grade the training facilities for semi-automatic welding processes.


Question 14 - Comments and Observations

It would be helpful if the database can also stated on the current welder performance in order to ensure that fabricators can get quality welders from the database. Moreover, it will be better if all oil and gas project in Malaysia using the same system to monitor welder performance during the execution of the project. Currently fabricators will come out with their own welder performance monitoring

Welding training institutes shall provide more effective training to the welders. Welders shall exposed to the important of WPS, welding terminology, welding techniques and practical training on the actual production joint on site. Welders shall understand fabrication/construction/welding code on acceptance criteria of welding quality (AWS D1.1, ASME IX, etc.) before proceed to work on site. Welders shall aware the effective technique from training institute to produce good sound weld. Good understanding of welding knowledge on every aspect including construction international code will hugely contribute on the welding quality.

Welder Problem. Hard to get welders. At one time there will be a high demanding of welders. Unfortunately, at the moment we (Malaysia) are short of welders. When come to the time, we are going to have problem and suffer in supplying the welders to the industries.

Existing welders not suit to the industrial needs

Most of the existing welders in the market are very hard to pass the WQT. There are 2 types of welder.

1. Welder who train and learn welding by themselves. This type of welder is having problems to understand the WPS even though some of them are good in welding skills.

2. Welder with vocational school background and finish their course with SKM level 2. This type of welders is very hard to pass the WQT because of lack of skills. For them to pass the WQT they need to learn until SKM Level 3.

Lack of auto/semi auto welder in the market.

Most of the industrial players have changed their vision towards auto/semi auto process to improve their schedule. Time concern becomes the major factor of the fabricators to make profit in their business. Unfortunately, most of the existing welders in the nation are in manual process

Salary of the welder is not standard


Question 14 - Comments and Observations (continued)

Welders have been paid differently among each other’s. This will cause the welder simply quit and join the other company and looking for better pay.

Malaysia has so many vocational and technical institutes where they teach welders either by the government or by the private sector. Roughly, there are hundreds of welders being produced annually. Unfortunately, they are not seen in the industry. Where are they? This is something to be talk about. Government have come out millions of money for this, from infrastructure to the system, even some money has been granted to cater the training program.

Vocational and technical institute and training places should revised their training program in welding. Most of the program did not meet the needs of the industry. Their syllabus did not up to the standard and requirement. This is one of the factors that leads to what type of welder we have right now.

What we need is a welder with a high education on welding (skills) that meet the industrial requirement and a welder that understand and responsible to their work until they are able to check/inspect their work themselves before handover.

All the training institute must aware on the changes happen in the industry. They should now what is the industrial expectation on the welders. Nowadays, most of the company are twisting from normal manual process to auto/semi auto process. The percentage goes up to more than 70% used of auto/semi auto process compare to manual.

It is suggested that all training institute to focus more on producing the auto/semi auto welders in the future.

It is good to have a body or scheme that are able to control all this welders like this AWF CWCS, so that we know the population of the welders in the nation, having a good quality welders, to gathered all the data, and hopefully this will also be able to control the pay rate of the welders so that the welders will not simply quit or jump to another company.

As noticed on the welders that has gone from welding training institutes, they lack of exposure and familiarity on the materials to be weld, filler metals and electrode, Welding Procedures Specification to be applied.

As noticed on the skilled welders, they lack of understanding on the welding terminology wherein they are unable to interpret and execute the WPS requirement which resulted the deficiencies during the welding works.


Question 14 - Comments and Observations (continued)

We would recommend educational institutions to provide more practical trainings for FCAW welding process because it is very demanding. During recruiting process, we faced difficulties in getting skilled welders especially fresh graduates from local educational institutions for example ILP, IKBN etc.

We foresee the importance of forming a committee/task force to link the educational institution and the industries. The committee members shall drive the team to come out with a well-structured programmes to improve the knowledge and skills of welding personnel (Welding Engineers, Welding Inspectors, Welders, etc). In addition, the committee members are responsible to gather all important information related to welding issues (e.g. guideline of controlling hardness at the HAZ area for extremely high tensile material) and spread it out as a part of knowledge sharing. This information can be shared via IMM website, monthly bulletin, etc.

Lack of understanding on welding parameters. Some welders take shortcuts e.g. insufficient wind breaker. Lack of monitoring of suitable welding consumables e.g. lack of baking time of electrodes. Some junior inspectors are assigned leading to low criteria of acceptance.

Important step to implement good control / tracking of welding / welder record.

It will be useful if IMM can come out with a specific training curriculum for welders as most of the welders lack theoretical knowledge.

IMM can consider setting some minimum qualifications for welders to pass theoretical and practical exams before any welder can carry out welding on pressure components, critical load bearing structural items etc.

Local welding training institutions products (welders) unable to enter job market due to lack of skills and confidence – something to work on –reskilling them or bridging institutions can equip them with right knowledge.

IMM- Petronas can play bigger role in setting requirements i.e.., PTS as well as governing and regulating welding career – this also will create barrier to entry for outsiders and push local standards higher up.

I don’t see any associations for welding and welding personnel – encourage the setup of these associations and we can work together with them in better regulating and governing welding market in Malaysia

Institute of Materials Malaysia

Welding Questionnaire Survey Results

Analysed and compiled by Shon Laird (Oilfield Technical Inspection)

With assistance from Leo Paul (IMM)

For further queries please contact:

[email protected] +6019 – 278 – 2270

welding questionnaire summary results

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